OLD INDONESIAN BORNEO DAYAK BABY CARRIER ARTIFACT

Description

Old Indonesian Borneo Dayak Baby Carrier
.  The world-renowned Dayak baby carrier in its oldest form:  An austerely elegant, basketry-crafted, non-beaded specimen.  Used but in amazingly well-preserved condition despite its old age.  The bead-decorated Dayak baby carrier is, by now, a global phenomenon.  But as scholars in the field will remind you, the baby carrier was also made in other - and in my humble opinion, more rare and just as beautiful - forms, this example being one of them.  Bernard Sellato ("Hornbill And Dragon: The Arts And Culture of Borneo") writes brilliantly about the subject, and gives the basketry-based as well as wood-carved baby carriers their due, ranking them on the same level as the popular beaded carriers.  The one wonderful thing about the baby carrier is that it is a rare FEMALE achievement in a tribal universe where men were the main craftsmen and artists.  R
attan, bamboo, and hard wood.  Plaited construction.  Braided hoops.  Very tightly woven, the basket is purely utilitarian yet made meticulously, fine craftsmanship that gets the task at hand done.  The baby carrier is NOT a humble, "lowly" object as far as the Dayak were concerned.  Apart from its aesthetic qualities, it is believed to have metaphysical and spiritual value (that Sellato and others describe in detail).  As such, it was always well-preserved, and is therefore typically found in collectible condition regardless of age.
Fine.  The plaited carrier is in virtually perfect condition.  NO missing or loose parts at all.  NO lacquer or any other permanent coating. There is some erosion of the original wood base, but the latter remains largely intact.  For the photo scans, I tied together the original hoops with my own nylon hooks (very poorly so), merely to show how it was inserted.  In fact, the hoops are no longer attached to the carrier because their fragile hooks are no longer present; the original owner must have replaced the latter several times. The hoops themselves are used but in very near-fine condition.  I WILL PACK AND SHIP THE PIECE WITH THE HOOPS BUT WITHOUT MY HOOKS.  Very beautiful patina, deep reddish-brown color throughout, smooth to one’s touch from previous use and generations of human touch. The black-painted rattan parts are original.  Looks and feels smooth and naturally shiny, which means that the piece was kept clean, but not waxed either by the original owner or its subsequent dealer.  Please note: Waxing is not only desirable when it comes to old baskets and other pieces, it is often necessary.  But it must be as unobtrusive as possible, bringing out the natural patina of the piece rather than smothering it or covering up flaws.  However, finding un-waxed old baskets that look this great is one of the pure joys of collecting.  Whether as a collectible/part of a basket collection or a "stand-alone" display/accent piece, this is an absolute, one-of-a-kind beauty.  No contemporary repair.
Large size:  13 inches (length/height) X 15 inches (width/diameter).
It is not especially heavy (about 5 pounds) but is irregularly-sized.  USPS will charge shipping on the basis of both its weight AND dimensions.
"The importance of ethnic and tribal art cannot be overstated. Its complex history with Modernism is intriguing and complex. Each informs the other. For anyone interested in how the human mind is compelled to make experience tangible, then one must consider this art. Look at it, wonder about it, live with it, be inspired by it, and let it broaden your world” (Douglas Dawson).
PLEASE NOTE:  I MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO DESCRIBE ANY FLAW OR IMPERFECTION, IF THERE ARE ANY.  HOWEVER, ANTIQUE, VINTAGE, AND OTHERWISE OLD PIECES NATURALLY HAVE IMPERFECTIONS, WHICH ENHANCE, NOT DETRACT FROM, THEIR VALUE AND AUTHENTICITY.  IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR PERFECTION, YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY BUYING AND COLLECTING ANTIQUES OR VINTAGE PIECES, AND THE POINT OF BUYING AND COLLECTING IS HAPPINESS.  EVERYTHING ELSE IS PLAIN LIFE.
I WILL RESPOND TO SERIOUS QUERIES ONLY.  SHIPPING IS BASED ON WEIGHT, SHIPPING METHOD (ECONOMY OR PRIORITY/EXPEDITED) THAT YOU SELECTED, AND YOUR ADDRESS/DESTINATION.  AS A GENERAL RULE, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ABOUT SHIPPING COST IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SAVINGS.
FOREIGN COLLECTORS WELCOME.  PLEASE CONTACT ME FIRST BEFORE BUYING, MAKING AN OFFER, OR PAYING BECAUSE USPS HAVE CHANGED ITS POLICIES WITH REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL PARCELS.
Please note: I am unable to ship abroad using First Class Letter Mail or Air Mail Parcel Post as NEITHER service is trackable, which is now a mandatory requirement of both Paypal and eBay for all of my transactions.  The reason: Far too many items, including postcards I have shipped using Letter Mail in the past, were either lost in transit or reported by their buyers as "Item Not Received".  This is quite a hassle, and is simply not worth it.  So the cheapest shipping method wherever available, is via either USPS Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelope or USPS Priority Mail Box, which includes Tracking, Delivery Confirmation, and Full Insurance.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
I DO
NOT
MAKE MONEY ON SHIPPING, BUT I  CANNOT AFFORD TO SUBSIDIZE IT EITHER.  PAYMENT DUE UPON COMPLETION OF SALE.